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Out of the abyss you came and back into the abyss you go.

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As everybody already knows, mankind has nothing left to live until December 21 of this year. There is nowhere to hide. Our capabilities in space exploration are ridiculously low, and the earth, according to the Apocalypse (this year or in a thousand years, it does not matter), will burn anyway, and the sky will roll up like a scroll. But what about water?

It is unclear whether these considerations guided James Cameron (Russians are familiar with him from the films "Titanic" and "Avatar") and Richard Branson (legendary creator of the umbrella brand Virgin and absolutely desperate adventurer) when they announced a joint project, but the whole world shuddered at their idea.

Mr Cameron has just announced his intention to dive to the bottom of the Marinas Trench in a bathyscaphe. Alone. And spend six hours there. For reference: the previous attempt was successfully carried out in 1960 and the aquanaut managed to stay at the bottom of only 20 minutes. And the director is going to shoot a 3D documentary film for National Geographic. A British billionaire will provide a boat and finances for the project.

However, these guys are not alone in their hobby. « Only the rich and eccentric can be found underwater», says Jean-Claude Carm, marketing director of the US submarine-building company US Submarines, according to The Financial Times. There are now about a hundred luxury private submarines ploughing the depths of the ocean. One was ordered by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. And that is all that is known about it.

Silence is a commandment, the names of customers are not disclosed. « If I gave them to you, I'd have to shoot you», says a high-ranking official of a specialized company. Every sales contract contains a confidentiality clause to guarantee the anonymity of the buyer. « It's a sensitive business»," says the source.

However, all this news pales before the Russian scope. "- If you find a submarine that belongs to me, it's yours," legend has it that Roman Abramovich replied with a smile when asked about buying his own submarine worth more than $100 million. It is said to be a 65-metre floating palace with a fitness room, wine cellar, swimming pool, cinema and observation point.

One of the reasons for the oligarch's fascination for submarines is said to be fear of global disasters and nuclear war, as the manufacturer guarantees - to survive a nuclear strike at a depth of 300 meters in the middle of the ocean is much safer than in the bunker.

Whatever the case may be, but the trend is evident - having left the ocean millions of years ago, the mankind seeks to return there again. And it doesn't matter for what reason.

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